I'm not Afraid of those Scary Clowns!
by morbid333
Summary: Cagalli sees a scary movie and refuses to admit that it frightened her, even when it becomes just a little too real. Kira/Lacus Shinn/Stella Athrun/Cagalli/OC Contains violence, horror scenes, bad humor, and a chainsaw.
1. I'm not Afraid ot those Scary Clowns: 1

**I'm Not Afraid of those Scary Clowns!**

**Author's Notes: **This story was originally supposed to be a one-shot, but due to my inability to leave things as they are, I've decided to split it up. It is currently a five-shot, but I may do a sequel or add more chapters in the future. I think it may have potential. Inspiration came from people who refuse to admit their fear. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer:** All characters, names and places relating to **Mobile Suit Gundam **belong to Sunrise. All original characters, the plot and setting belong to me.

**Summary: **Cagalli sees a scary movie and refuses to admit that it frightened her, even when it becomes just a little too real for /Lacus Athrun/Cagalli/OC Shinn/Stella Yzak/Fllay  
Contains violence, horror scenes, bad humor, and a chainsaw

**The Split**

She was alone in the house, with no one around. She was completely alone, alone… alone.

But then, why shouldn't she be? What was wrong with that? Cagalli could take care of herself. She was old and mature now. She wasn't some little girl, afraid of her own shadow.

_Actually, in the dead of night like this, there are no shadows. Everything is enveloped by the dark. It's impossible to sleep like this, with this deafening silence keeping me awake. You'd think silence would know how to keep it down._

To be honest, the night wasn't quiet at all. If it were, maybe the blonde girl would be able to sleep. As a determined display of impertinence, the weather had refused to remain the same. It just _had_ to change. The rain hitting the windows and roof weren't too bad, and were almost soothing to the young blonde's ears. The occasional and irregular booms of thunder and flashes of lightning however, kept her on her toes. Figuratively speaking, of course.

Cagalli curled herself up tightly beneath her blanket, bringing her legs up to meet her torso. She lay in her bed all alone in the house, save for that one other person, but she wasn't about to go waking her friend simply to strike up a conversation. That's something a fearful person would do.

Cagalli would just have to close her eyes and wait for sleep to dawn down on her… of course it didn't help that the image of a sadistic killer clown was imprinted on the interior of her eyelids, and every time she closed her eyes, she was reminded of that psycho's face. His vile visage. His grotesque achromatic make up broken by the color of blood.

"Stupid scary clowns… I'm not afraid of you."

She thought back to the cause of all this, the reason why she couldn't get any sleep. _This is all Athrun's fault._

* * *

_Earlier that day –_  
The six friends walked down the street, toward the cinema to watch a movie. It was the first day of summer. School was over for the year and these six high school juniors-no-more were celebrating by seeing a movie together.

The weather was as perfect as one could imagine for their first afternoon of freedom. The sun was shining without a single cloud in the sky to obstruct its golden rays as they shone down on the skin of the youngsters below.

Athrun walked at the head of the group, his medium length blue hair shining in the sunlight. On one side of him stood Cagalli, the amber eyed blonde; and on the other was Shinn, the dark haired sophomore who walked with his arm around the party's second blonde girl. The Magenta eyed Stella. Despite being a year younger, and as such, a year behind in terms of academic study, Shinn and Stella had quickly weaseled their way into the group.

As the group walked, Athrun moved to carefully place an arm around Cagalli, to hold her in a loose one-armed embrace, but his plan backfired when she shifted her pace, running ahead to look at something, leaving Athrun's arm dangling awkwardly in mid-air.

"Smooth," Shinn mocked.

"Hey, shut up," Athrun replied, finally putting his arm to use by playfully punching the younger boy in the shoulder.

Behind them, a slim brown haired boy walked hand in hand with his most special of all friends, the lovely Lacus, the coveted beauty of their grade that had unintentionally managed to widen the eyes and slackened the jaws of every male in their year. Whether it be from envy, lust or admiration, all eyes lingered on her.

Of course, rather than let this status go to her head or let herself be bothered by it, she simply clung to her first and only choice of romantic partner. She walked closely beside Kira, their hands joined and a content smile upon her face the entire time.

Cagalli stared wide-eyed at large display depicting what appeared to be a chainsaw wielding clown. The corners of her lips pulled upward, parting them in a wide, appreciative smile as her eyes drifted downward, to the blood-splattered title. This was the movie she wanted to see, ne. She _had_ to see. _The riotous rampage of the psychotic, Carnivorous Cannibal Clowns._

"So now we're here, what should we see,"Shinn drawled in a bored monotone.

"I thought we had already decided that," Kira replied nonchalantly.

"Oh my god. Athrun, he _have_ to see this," Cagalli called out to them. They walked over in her direction.

Athrun, who was in front of the group, stood behind the blond and took one look at the poster on the wall.

"You want to see this," he asked peculiarly. "Why?"

"What do you mean 'why?' It's gonna be great!" I didn't even know it was out yet.

"I _really _don't want to see this," Lacus commented, making her coy opinion known.

"Why not?"

"I just don't like scary movies."

"What about that one you and I went to see last month," Cagalli asked accusingly, turning around to face the crowd.

"That was horrible, I couldn't sleep all weekend," the pink haired Lacus admitted with a slight blush showing her discomfort.

"Don't be a sissy!" the blonde cried, causing the pinkette to turn away in embarrassment. Sensing this, Kira placed an arm around her back soothingly.

"I'm not a fan of Horror films either," Kira stated in his girlfriend's defense. They'd only recently gotten together as a couple. He wasn't about to have Lacus insulted by anyone, not even his dizygotic twin sister.

"Yeah, but you _are_ a sissy," Cagalli teased.

"Aren't you supposed to be… you know, a girl," Shinn asked, Cagalli's unfeminine fascination for violence and gore seemingly going over his head.

Cagalli instantly shifted her gaze to her scruffy haired challenger. "I am," she barked, "although sometimes I'm the only one who realizes that." Her frightening gaze then shifted over to Athrun. "Nobody else ever seems to notice."

"Gee, I wonder why," Shinn dryly commented.

"What was that!"

"Nothing," Shinn hastily answered. The last time he stood up to Kira's sister, he'd wound up with a broken nose, two black eyes and a sore finger… but that was a story the boy would refuse to relive.

"Do you _really_ need to see this movie Cagalli," Kira serenely asked his sister. Argument would get them nowhere. What they needed was a calm discussion. "Didn't we all agree to see something else? If you remember, you said you didn't care what we saw."

"Yeah, but that's only because I thought there was nothing to see. I didn't know they'd be showing this," she said, pointing to the poster. There's no way I'm missing out on this to see some romantic piece of crap." Unseen and unnoticed, Lacus flinched and turned away. It had been her who suggested the movie they were supposed to be going to see right now.

"Then how about this, if they're showing at the same time, we can split up."

"No," Lacus opposed. "We came to watch something together. If we can't all decide on the same thing, maybe we shouldn't go at all. Maybe we should just go and do something else."

"Wow, that seems kind of selfish of you," Cagalli commented.

"Excuse me!"

"You're opposing every idea any of us can come up with. Every time we're about to reach a decision, you bat it away like an eyelash. Why don't you admit it, you only wanted Kira to come with you today, didn't you. You wanted to be alone with him. Screw the rest of us!"

"No, it isn't like that at all."

"Oh no, how is it not like that? You talk us all into seeing a movie, then you pick the worst one you can find to drive us all off the idea!"

"It's not the worst one, I want to see it."

Oh yeah? Well it _sounds_ like a boring romantic piece of crap! It's a total chick flick!"

"Well maybe that's what I like. Maybe that's what I am. I'm sorry if I'm not entertained the way you are by something as simplistic as a trashy film containing nothing but nudity, violence and gratuitous amounts of blood splatters."

"I'll show you blood splatters," Cagalli roared, rolling up her sleeve and taking a dramatic step forward.

"Calm down," Kira said, raising his voice in a warning tone, "both of you."

"Elitist little…" Cagalli grumbled, more to herself than anyone else, the way someone would when sulking after having a superior reprimand them. "Saying my choice of entertainment isn't good enough? You think I'm not good enough, you're not good enough. You think I have no taste? I'll show you taste. You think I'm nothing but violence and blood splatters? I'll show you violence. I'll show you blood."

"Cagalli, quiet," Kira stated.

"You can't tell me what to do."

"Quiet!" Cagalli's eyes widened at her brother's harsh tone. She silently looked away from the group, seemingly becoming intrigued and fascinated by a crack in the pavement.

Kira matched his sister's expression, narrowing his eyes in a scowl he directed at no one. The last thing he wanted was another fight between his sister and his new girlfriend. He couldn't figure it out, but for one reason or another, Cagalli could never seem to get along with Lacus any more. He was sure that their many arguments were distressing and upsetting for them both, but especially for Lacus, who tended to take things far more personally than his sister did. If nothing were to be done about it, these fickle fights that Cagalli had recently begun starting would be the death of their friendship. "Cagalli, if you really don't want to watch the movie we all decided on, then we'll just have to split up here and meet up later on. Lacus, I know you had your heart set on us all being together, but I'd rather settle for a compromise than have a big argument in the street. Do you understand?"

"Yes. "

"Well, that sounds like a plan, Kira…" Athrun commented, "But what if the two movies are running at different times, or are different lengths."

"If we can't watch them simultaneously… then I'll bring Cagalli back and watch it with her later on." He turned to his sister. "Is that alright with you?"

"I guess so," the blonde quietly complied, feeling a little ashamed that she had acted so childishly before.

"Kira," Lacus muttered questioningly.

"What, do you want to come too," Cagalli asked her forcefully, beginning to lose her temper yet again.

Lacus blushed slightly. "Uh, well, I…"

"I'll do it," Athrun offered before things turned too awkward.

"Fine with me," Cagalli replied before another word could be said.

"Hey, nice plan," Shinn commented to his blue haired friend. "You get to be alone with her, and her brother's gonna think you're doing him a favor. You're a genius at this stuff."

"Yeah, but it's not much of a secret plan when someone announces it to everyone," Athrun hissed, nudging his friend in the ribs to shut him up.

"Well, we'd better get in there and buy the tickets," Kira calmly suggested. "We can't do anything until we see the start times. _Then_ we can decide." The group all murmured their collective agreement and moved onward, into the building where they were met by a flood of people.

"There it is," Cagalli called out to them as she ran ahead, her eyes transfixed upon the scrolling times in reference to movie titles. "They both start in twenty minutes," she commentated. "I'll get out at six, you guys will be out at quarter to."

"That's it then," Lacus solemnly declared. "We're splitting up." Her hand subconsciously snaked its way home, causing her to jump when skin met skin as Kira's hand enveloped her own, her desire fulfilled. Although it was what she wanted, she couldn't contain the blush that momentarily lit her face like the festive lights of a Christmas tree.

"So," Kira asked, "where should we meet?"

"There's that Café down the road," Athrun suggested. "They serve good Pizza, and they're open until eleven."

"What do you think," Kira asked, turning to Lacus.

"That sounds good," she replied.

Kira looked around but saw no opposition to the idea. "It's alright with me if it is with everyone else."

"Then it's settled," Cagalli summed up. "We'll all meet there after the movies end, let's get going."

"Um, Kira," Athrun said, somewhat awkwardly.

"What is it?"

"Are you sure Cagalli should watch that thing alone?"

"Hey," the blonde protested.

"Someone should go with her," the bluenet continued.

"Maybe you're right," Kira answered, uncertainly.

"Hey, I don't need a chaperone. I'm not some little kid, okay?"

"Stella will do it," the group's second blonde offered, speaking for the first time since they had arrived.

Athrun and Shinn shared a look. "Um, hey Stella, I don't know-" the scruffy haired Shinn began, but was instantly cut off.

"Perfect, we'll go together," Cagalli cheekily grinned, placing an arm around her blonde friend and holding her closely, as if posing for a photograph. "Problem solved."

"Stella…" Shinn breathed, drawing the blonde's magenta gaze unto himself.

"Shinn?"

"What's the problem," Cagalli asked. "You all think I'm just some little kid, don't you!"

"Stella," Shinn repeated, "Are you sure you want to see this? I mean, I really don't think you're gonna like it, I mean, it's gonna be scary."

"Stella isn't afraid of clowns," she declared.

"See! We'll be fine," Cagalli supported, "and on the off chance, we'll both be there for one another."

"Stella," Shinn argued, "listen. This movie, you won't like it. It's not a good show. They only put it out for sad degenerates who can't get off on real entertainment."

"But Stella wants to sit with Caggi-chan. Caggi-chan wants to watch clowns. Stella will watch clowns with Caggi-chan."

"I should go too," Athrun said.

"Suit yourself," Cagalli replied apathetically, making her way up to the ticket counter as Athrun, taking larger strides, easily caught up to and walked past her, reaching the counter first.

Shinn watched them depart and then turned his attention to Kira and Lacus. He looked from one, then to the other. "I should probably go with them," he said.

"If you really want to," Kira offered. "It's not like I'm going to stop you."

"Right, Shinn replied, hurrying to catch up with the others."

"And then there were two," Lacus joked.

"Is that alright with you," Kira asked her.

"Maybe we should go with them as well…"

"I thought you didn't like horror."

"I don't, but they're all… it seems as though I'm acting like a spoiled brat, refusing to go with them because they don't want to see what I do."

"It's okay. If you want to see something else, we'll just see that. Don't worry about them." Lacus nodded.

Kira carefully tore his hand away from that of the pinkette standing closely beside him and dipped it into his pocket, withdrawing his wallet. He took out a monetary note and handed it to Lacus.

"If you want any snacks or anything, could you get them and then wait upstairs for me? You can keep any change," he added as an afterthought.

"Where are you going?"

"I'll get the tickets, we're still seeing the same thing, right?"

"If you still want to."

"Of course I do. I'll get the tickets, you wait upstairs for me." Kira turned and took a step away from her before stopping and looking back over his shoulder. "Oh, and while you're passing the snack bar, do you think you could get me a Vanilla Cola?" Lacus nodded and made her way over the counter on the other side of the lobby, near the stairs leading upward.

* * *

"Ah, hi," Athrun greeted the young man behind the counter. "I'll take three tickets to Cannibal Clowns."

"Shinn," Stella announced. Looking over his shoulder, Athrun saw that Shinn was indeed heading in their direction.

"Oh, you'd better make that four." The young man behind the counter, who appeared to be a boy their age with pale skin, black hair and brown eyes, with his bangs covering roughly the top left corner of his face, looked them over and smirked.

"How old are you," he asked.

"Seventeen," Athrun answered.

"Sorry, this movie is rated R and subsequently, minors cannot get in unless accompanied by an adult. Why don't you come back with your parents."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard," Shinn declared. "My parents don't even want me watching this stuff. Why would they come with me to get me in?"

"Well, maybe you shouldn't be watching it then. There's some nice kiddy shows starting in about half an hour," the young man mocked.

"Hey, you're no older than I am," the indignant blonde at the back snapped.

"Is that you Cagalli, I didn't see you there."

"It's okay guys, I know him," the blonde explained to her friends.

"I was wondering when you'd come to see this. I'm surprised you weren't here on opening night."

"I didn't even know it was out." The young man smirked amusedly. "You'd better get in there and see it while you still can. They're thinking of pulling the plug on this one, too scary for all the little pussies out there."

"So, can you get us in? Just like old times."

"What's in it for me?"

"Some friend he is," Shinn criticized.

"We're going for Pizza afterwards," Athrun suggested. "I guess you could come too. When do you get off work?"

"I'll be done at six, same time the next showing of Cannibal Clowns finishes. Promise me a slice and you're in."

"Done," Athrun agreed.

"Of course you realize, you're going to have to pay adult ticket prices."

"That's fine," Athrun approved, handing over the cash.

"What about ID," Shinn asked.

"ID check is done up front with the purchase of tickets and again upstairs when the usher checks your tickets. Maybe it's not the best system, but it's great for extortionists such as myself."

"What about the guy upstairs then?"

"Simple, the guy doing theatre three is a friend of mine. Just tell him Rensque sent you, though he may need a little persuasion."

"That's fine. We can just take him with us afterwards," Cagalli reasoned, "the more the merrier."

"You think Kira will be okay with that," Athrun asked her.

"He should be."

"Sounds like a plan, he works the same shifts I do, it's a great partnership, letting all the minors into R-rated movies and sharing the profit," Rensque answered as he printed out the four tickets and handed them over to the bluenette in the front. "Enjoy the show," he added with a smirk.

**Did you notice the reference? I slipped it in. I don't think you can even get Vanilla Coke anymore… that's a shame. Oh, and as some of you may have noticed, Stella is sharing the mannerisms that I gave her in The Brother's Zala. I hope you don't mind, and if you do? There's really nothing you can do about it. I mean, you could try kidnapping her, strapping her to a chair and doing many unpleasant things to her, but I don't think that will help your cause… but I'll leave it up to all your demented imaginations. Next chapter is The Crappy Romantic Chick Flick.**

**S_K_I_P**

**Shameless Advertising Segment:** I might be on the lookout for somewhere to rant, rave and promote my stories, both fanfiction and original fiction. I may even pop in a few diary entries from people like Lilly Ankst, a girl from England whom all of you are yet to become accustomed with; and her Scandinavian friend of who's name I know not. If you're lucky… no, unlucky (Quote: Matsuzaki Ginji) I may even upload a picture of what I look like, possibly even uncensored… I mean undistorted, maybe not. I dunno. ("Ah, my eyes, they burn! They burn! Make it stop! Please god, make it stop!) On an unrelated note, I've come up with the concept of a Lacus/Cagalli story that I'm sure all you Athrun fans will hate. It too, was going to be a one-shot, but I've decided against that. As a result, you'll have to wait for it, I'm afraid. It may take a while. That's a shame, considering my mind keeps planning bits of it now, and it's not like I want to lose inspiration or forget things, but I have other stories I need to work on first.


	2. I'm not Afraid of those Scary Clowns: 2

**I'm Not Afraid of Those Scary Clowns!**

**Author's Notes: Kkornelia, **thank you for the review. You may just get your wish next chapter. Sure, I had intended this chapter to be a little longer, but never mind. Here it is. Enjoy.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Seed

**The Crappy Romantic Chick Flick**

Sucking in a lungful of air, the girl held it in, as if for courage, for an unknown length of time. She didn't count the seconds. Right now, she didn't trust her sense of time. It took all she had just to sit strait in her own void without falling. She clutched the large cylinder between her hands, its icy coldness the only thing keeping her grounded, the only thing telling her for sure that this wasn't some kind of dream. She was actually here. This was it.

She opened her eyes and let out her breath as one would smoke, except the gas of which she breathed was unfiltered and tainted only with the smell of hot butter and salt. As she watched people walking past, her lips moved down to the straw pointing up at her and she sucked a small amount of the liquid into her mouth, creating a vacuum for which the sweet drink to travel up to her waiting and gracious tongue, healing her dry mouth and curing her of such an affliction…

Then she was struck with another one. As she swallowed, she suddenly realized what she had done, without permission no less. She hadn't been granted the authority to drink. She hoped this wouldn't anger him… although on the grand scheme of things, she had taken such a small amount. He was unlikely to notice.

Nonetheless, she _had_ done it. It was like stealing, wasn't it? One didn't simply sit in another's house and devour the entirety of said other's stock in food. Certainly, there were some who did such things, who made such intrusions and violations, but those were not the right sort of people, and Lacus was not like them.

It was refreshing though, wasn't it? And sweet, just what she'd needed, however she now had a nasty aftertaste lingering in her mouth. Since she'd already partaken in such feats, was it truly such a big deal? She'd had a taste of sugar. It was only natural for her tongue to crave another.

She lowered her head a second time, parting her lips ever so slightly and pressing them against the tip of the straw once more. She closed her eyes, and once more, drank.

Slowly, she drew the liquid to her, like the sweet nectar of a flower in summer. It came to her in one long, slow moving stream.

"Lacus?" The girls' eyes snapped open in horror, in fear. Her heart twanged with guilt. She'd been caught in the act, like a babysitter doing unmentionable things before a child just as his or her parents walk in the door.

Wordlessly, soundlessly, with an open throat, Lacus swallowed the sweet sparkling liquid she had lured into her mouth and felt it slide down her throat. She removed her lips from the straw and allowed gravity to pull the dark liquid back down into the cup, undermining all of her lethargic effort.

"Um, I'm sorry," she awkwardly squeaked, blushing madly.

"Is that my drink," Kira asked her as he approached.

"Um, yes… it is," the girl answered, feeling her face growing warmer by the second. It was surely richer in color than her hair right now; and of a similar hue no doubt. "I supersized so we could share," she quickly added as if in her own defense. "You don't mind, do you?"

"Not at all," Kira replied. _I wonder why she's so embarrassed, _the brunet thought to himself. _Is it because I caught her drinking? But I've seen her eat and drink before. Perhaps she thought I would be unwilling to share._ "Did you get anything for yourself?"

"No… I guess I should've."

"Do you want anything? I can go back if you like."

"No, or maybe…"

"What is it?"

"Now you have to share with me. I should've asked first. I'm sorry."

"No, I don't mind. Actually, I think it's a good idea." Suddenly, Lacus' face turned up in a grin, smiling partly from relief, but also partly due to the fact that Kira had praised her. For once, her idea was a good one, unlike her choice of movie, which all but Kira had outright refused to see.

The brunet moved closer and sat down beside her. "Listen, Lacus."

"Kira?"

"We… we need to talk." Lacus' eyes widened. Those four words never preceded anything good.

"What is it?"

"I've been thinking about this for a while now, and as I was lining up for the tickets, I decided." Lacus broke eye contact and took instead to staring at the carpet. "Lacus… this really can't wait. I need to ask you something." The girl turned her eyes back to Kira. A mixture of hope and dread weighted her. She needed to know what was bothering Kira, but at the same time, she wasn't sure she would like where or how this conversation would end. It made her anxious. "Please, I need to know. What's up with you and Cagalli?"

"What?" Lacus was both relieved and troubled by the question. Relieved, because it wasn't the worst case scenario she didn't want to brace herself for, but troubled because she knew as much as Kira on the subject.

"The two of you are always fighting lately. I can't let it go on. I can't take it. Lacus, I really like you, but Cagalli is my sister."

"So, you're taking her side?" Her eyes instantly dropped, as did her spirits.

"I'm not taking sides," Kira expressed, "I'm just… I want you both to stop this. It's pointless and is only damaging your friendship. I need the two of you to get along."

"I wish we could but…"

"No buts. Just find a way. Forge a path and go with it."

"Is this… an ultimatum?"

"What?" Kira had no idea what the girl was talking about. "Just tell me how all of this started."

"I wish I could but… I just don't know. I was as surprised as you were when it all started. I don't want to bicker with her all the time, but at the same time, I don't want to let her walk all over me like a doormat. I want to remain with you more than anything, but at the same time, I'm being more and more put off by Cagalli each day."

"So, you want nothing to do with her?"

"That's not what I'm saying, but sometimes I wonder if it wouldn't be easier to just not hang around with her anymore."

"Lacus, she's my sister. She's always going to be around. I can't just tell her to back off, and everyone else likes her."

"And they like me less and less. Maybe it's for the best that I don't socialize with all of them."

"You don't want to hang around with us anymore?"

"I do, but it seems more by the day as if they don't like me. Cagalli has started a war with me, and everyone has taken her side, everyone except her own brother who has been kind enough to at least remain neutral. I have no social allies in this feud."

"Then put a stop to it."

"I can't! Don't you see? I don't even know how it all began!" Lacus looked away, but her attention was soon drawn to someone across the hall.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?"

_What is he doing here,_ Lacus wondered. Didn't Shinn go with the others? Why was he there, how long had he been listening in? She hadn't even noticed him there.

"It's so obvious that even a child could see what's going on."

"What is it," Kira asked him.

"Cagalli is Jealous. It's like Lacus is stealing Kira away from her. Back off from Kira, and Cagalli will back off on you. Continue what you're doing, and she'll hate you for it."

"I don't want to have to choose between Kira and Cagalli," Lacus indignantly cried.

"And I don't want to have to choose between you and my sister," Kira replied.

"So… what should we do?"

"I dunno," Shinn shrugged, pushing off from the wall he had been leaning on. "You'll have to work that out for yourselves. I'm going back to Cagalli before she blows a blood vessel waiting for me. She's got quite a temper, as I'm sure you've noticed."

"Okay, thanks for your help," Kira acknowledged the tactless boy.

"Wait, there was one other thing."

"What is it?"

"There are two more joining us for pizza after the movies end. That's what Athrun sent me over to tell you, but you weren't here, so I had to wait for you, thanks for that."

Horrified, Lacus felt compelled to ask the question of which the answer was oh-so obvious, at least, to her it did. "You saw everything?"

"Yeah, I did. Thanks for the show. I _really _mean it." Although Shinn's words stated notions of affirmation, the sarcasm dripping from his tongue begged to differ.

Puzzled, Kira asked, "Who is joining us?"

"One of Cagalli's friends, and also one of his friends."

"His?" Lacus didn't even know Cagalli _had_ friends outside of their little circle.

"This friend," Kira added, "what's his name?" He was feeling suspicious about all of this.

"Uh, Rensque, I think that's what he said."

"That guy who works here?"

"Yeah, that's him. I'll see you guys later."

"Yeah, thanks," Kira replied, his eyes narrowing. He waited for Shinn to leave.

Lacus, feeling worried, placed a hand on the brunet's shoulder. "Kira?"

"Damn," the boy breathed.

"What is it?"

"I _really _don't like that guy."

"Shinn?"

"No, Rensque."

"Why not?"

"I… I don't trust him. He's kind of strange. He creeps people out."

"Oh."

"You know how much I trust Athrun to be alone with Cagalli?"

"Yes." Kira was very protective of Cagalli. He only barely tolerated Athrun's playful advances on the girl, and even then, that was only because he was a close and, mostly, trustworthy friend.

"Well, this guy is ten times worse. I'd sooner see her dating Athrun, or even _Shinn_ than this guy."

"Is it that much of a problem? I mean, they're just friends."

"So were we, for the longest time."

"I don't know him, but it's probably nothing to worry about. He probably just wants to come along because we're all going for pizza."

"I hope you're right," Kira replied, standing and heading over to the usher at the end of the hall.

"Tickets," the boy asked. He had long greasy black hair that would have nicely framed his face, had it been clean, and his forehead was a wash of oil. Kira handed the ever-important rectangular pieces of paper over to the young man, who tore the ticket buts off the ends, handing them back and directing them to theatre seven. "Enjoy the show," he creepily replied, offering them a smirk that would have sent shivers down the straightest spine, and summoned Goosebumps to the smoothest of skin on the bravest of men.

"What was with that guy," Lacus asked as they made their way into the darkened room, reaching once more for Kira's hand and taking hold of it, the warmth they now shared enough to calm the anxieties that grew inside her.

"I dunno," Kira replied.

"He… scares me," Lacus admitted, voice dropping and eyes looking back.

"Rensque is worse. He was operating the ticket counter, no-wonder he managed to sneak his way in on our plans."

"Kira?"

"He's a conniving, blackmailing weasel."

"But that guy's smile, it really freaked me out. It's like he knew something, like the man selling admission to a house of horrors or something."

"Yeah, he's probably the accomplice on all of this. A conniving weasel and a greasy headed scumbag. They make the perfect team, don't they? It's the perfect scam, so long as they make sure to take all the same shifts."

"So, you're saying that guy will be one of the one's joining us?"

"Probably."

"Great." Smiling, Kira pulled his hand from the grasp of Lacus' left arm, and placed it around her right, pulling her closer.

"Don't worry about it," he calmed her, reassured her. "We have a movie to watch together." This time, it was Lacus' turn to smile.

"You're right. We should forget everything and just enjoy it." They made their way to their seats and sat next to another young couple, instantly wishing they hadn't.

"I didn't know they'd be here too," Kira murmured quietly so that only Lacus would hear him.

"Who," the pink haired girl inquisitively asked, looking over, then instantly widening her eyes. "Yzak?" She asked. The young man in question looked them over with his piercing blue eyes. "I didn't know you were with Fllay, now." Fllay, who had been Kira's previous girlfriend for the duration of one summer, turned to the boy and narrowed her eyes.

"I see you've moved on," she stated contemptuously.

"I see you've done the same," Kira replied nonchalantly. He wasn't exactly happy to be here with that particular redheaded girl, but he wasn't going to act bitter towards her either. He wasn't that petty, and to do so might ruin the occasion for Lacus.

"Yzak, could you go and get me something from the snack bar," the girl asked, her tone sickly-sweet.

"Why do I have to go? Get it yourself," Yzak complained.

"Just do it," the girl hissed.

Conceding, Yzak sighed. "What do you want?"

"Oh, I don't mind," Fllay replied sweetly.

"You'd better not send me out to get something else again."

"Why Yzak, I trust you to get the right thing _first_ time. You know what I like." With a sigh, Yzak sent one fleeting glare at Kira and Lacus before making his way out to the snack bar.

"He seems… nice," Kira noted, trying not to appear judgmental. It seemed as though Fllay had simply gone and found Kira's opposite. Where did you meet him?"

"Our parents are friends, he stopped by to run an errand for his mother. We got to talking and it turns out we had a lot in common. We were both coming out of break-ups."

"And the two of you got together, and your father's okay with that? That guy's older than you, right?"

"Yeah, by a few years, but it's no big deal. What about you two? It's pretty obvious how you guys know one-another. I gotta say, Pinky. Going out on dates with your friends? That's pretty pathetic."

"We're more than friends now," Kira defended.

"That's my point. She catches you, on the rebound no-doubt. But it's not going to last, is it? Though you timed it perfectly. I've gotta commend you for that, Pinky."

"Shut up," Lacus snapped, surprising Kira. "Can't you see we came here to enjoy ourselves? I'm not like you. I don't use people the way you do. We genuinely care for one another. I'm here because I want to be, so that Kira and I can enjoy each other's company. Not because it's a prerequisite for something else later on."

"Well that's all well and good," Fllay retorted, "but from the outside, it looks as though you're a leach that attached itself to your friend when he was down. " Lacus' eyes widened. "Look me in the eye and tell me neither of you is using nor being used by the other.

Was that true? It was fact that Lacus had once drawn all ayes to her. Granted, it was unwanted attention, but even so, the fact remained that they no-longer stared. Lacus had assumed that it was because she was now taken, and in fact 'off the market' as it were. Could the truth really be different? Could it be that they had simply lost all respect for her? Was she just clinging to her friend while he was within her reach? Using him for her own benefit while she could? _Is that what they all think of me? Is that what Kira thinks of me? Is that what Cagalli thinks of me? No wonder she's always trying to get me away from her brother. They protect one another… from people like me. I'm the cause of it all._

"It's true," Kira added, speaking to Fllay, "After you and I broke up, Lacus was there for me, more so than anyone else. She comforted me when I was depressed. She sat with me when I was lonely. She was there for me when nobody else was. This is the honest truth: There is _nobody_ I can think of right now, that I'd rather be here with."

"You really believe that," Fllay asked.

"Yes, I do."

"I feel sorry for you then. You can't even see what she's doing."

"Lacus said it herself. She's here because she wants to be."

"Yeah," Fllay snorted. "It _really _looks that way." Kira turned to Lacus and found that she was looking at her own feet, into the darkness below the seats. The cup containing the drink he had asked her to get was dented from her fingers griping it so tightly.

"Lacus," Kira said, his voice full of concern for the pinkette, "what's wrong?"

"It… it all makes sense," she replied.

"What does?"

"Cagalli, she doesn't want me around you. Now I know why. She wants to protect you from me."

"Is this because of what Fllay said?" Lacus nodded.

"It's true. I know it is. It has to be… there's no other explanation."

"Don't listen to her," Kira tried to assure the pinkette. "What Shinn said was more realistic. Cagalli's just jealous of the amount of time I've been spending with you lately. She feels neglected, that's all. She'll get over it."

"But don't you see? She won't get over it, not until I promise to stay away from you… we should never have come here, although now I at least know the reason why. I… I should go."

"You don't want to see the movie? Would you rather we go somewhere else? We've got a couple of hours until the others get out."

"No, you should stay."

"Lacus… this movie was your idea, and I'm not leaving you on your own like this." The pinkette widened her clouded blue eyes. "Do you want to see it, or leave? Either way, you're not getting rid of me as easily as that." Lacus cracked a smile.

"Thanks, Kira."

"Don't mention it… come on, we'll find some different seats, away from those two… up there."

Kira led the girl away, to a selection of seats where they would be alone and could enjoy the movie in peace. As they sat, Kira gently took the large cup from Lacus' grip and placed it securely in the cup holder between their seats.

"Now we can both enjoy it," he quietly stated.

"Thank you, Kira," the girl stated, _for this… for staying… for the reassurance… for the faith… for everything. I owe you so much._

"Don't mention it," the brunet whispered, placing his arm around the blue eyed girl, who lowered herself slightly in her seat and allowed her head to rest upon Kira's arm and shoulder, just as the lights began to dim and the opening trailers began to roll.

Lacus and Kira were alone, enjoying a movie. This wasn't the initial plan, but it would be a lie to say that Lacus hadn't wanted this on some level. As the film began to roll onto the projection screen and sounds began to blare out of the speakers that surrounded them in the dark room, Lacus felt her body relax, full-well knowing that she was without both ability, and desire to contain the content smile that now spread across her face, illuminating her features in the darkened theatre.

* * *

**See what I mean? I was going to have the chapter detail the movie as well, but seeing as its romance, and not horror, I'm not sure what to do. I wouldn't have entirely detailed and interesting reactions to go on, and I don't want to actually come up with plots for scenes from two different movies on the spot. Next chapter is the Tasteless Low-budget Horror Film.**

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* * *

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**Shameless Advertising Segment: **I have a question. Does posting fiction (fanfiction or original) online like this constitute as having work published or broadcast, or is that simply referring to having one's work published in a magazine or something? The reason I'm asking, is because there's an annual short story competition that has recently caught my eye, and I'm not sure which category I would be able to apply for. The amateur writer (or whatever) is only open for previously unpublished writers, and the main category has a much better prize and a larger max word cap, at five thousand, as opposed to three thousand. I don't harbor delusions of victory, but simply entering could be interesting. I think it's too late for this year anyway, since the entries close at the end of this month, so I'll probably have to shoot for next year, unless I'm suddenly stricken with inspiration for something good very soon.


	3. I'm not Afraid of those Scary Clowns: 3

**I'm Not Afraid of those Scary Clowns!**

**Author's Notes: **That was… a long wait. I didn't intend to take this long but I took a little break from writing. Let's see, what's my excuse… insert sheepish grin here I was playing pokemon. I finally got myself a DS (well, a DSI, actually.) Oh, and I recently started Platinum version, so if anyone wants to take advantage of that and battle me online or whatever, you all know whom to message to set up a time (hint hint, nudge nudge.)

I want to say something about the previous chapter. I apologise if it didn't quite meet your expectations. I may rewrite it sometime in the future, but for now, I'll continue on with the story. I also apologize if I upset any Yzak/Fllay fans with this story, especially since they weren't even initially going to be featured. I actually do like the pairing… but enough about that.

**Disclaimer: **I don't own Gundam Seed

**The Tasteless, Low Budget Horror Film**

"There you are." Shinn looked up to find the others all waiting for him. Sending him to deliver that message had taken far longer than expected, as Cagalli's outburst had made sure to point out. "Took you long enough," she complained.

"Yeah, well, they weren't there, so I had to wait around for them."

"They weren't there?" Cagalli was quite surprised by this. Surprised… and suspicious.

"Well, Lacus was, but I had to wait around for Kira. I guess he went to get the tickets alone, and sent her up to wait for him."

"I guess… that sounds like something he would do."

"So, did you tell him?" Athrun asked in an effort to get things moving.

"Uh, yeah, they know."

"How'd they take the news?" Cagalli quizzically enquired. She knew how Kira didn't exactly approve of her choice in friends.

"Well, Kira was acting kind of strangely, actually."

"Is there a problem?" Athrun asked, getting strait to the point once more. He was apparently in the midst of a serious moment. He was known to have them from time to time, most commonly whilst in the absence of Kira and Cagalli.

"It'll be fine," Cagalli predicted. "Kira just doesn't like the guys joining us very much, that's all, nothing to worry about. He'll get over it."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, come on, we don't want to waste any more time, do we?" With all said and done, Cagalli broke out of the line their positions had assembled and walked into the theatre, surprisingly full. She hadn't expected so many people.

She found a seat in the first third of the cinema with one empty seat adjacent, where Stella joined her. Athrun and Shinn however, were forced to sit further toward the back. It didn't cross their minds how odd it was for empty seats to be located in the back, as opposed to the front.

"There are a lot of people here," Shinn commented to the bluenette beside him. "I really didn't think a low budget movie like this would attract so much attention."

"It's the director," Athrun replied. "He has a devoted cult following, and then there's what Rensque said."

"What?"

"You know, about this movie being pulled soon. Maybe it's not common knowledge, but if people were to find out, they would want to hurry and see it while they still can, wouldn't they? It makes sense, in a way."

"Maybe." They weren't able to continue their conversation further, for at that moment, the lights dimmed and the trailers began to roll.

Up ahead, Cagalli and Stella sat side by side, waiting for the movie to actually start. While some people liked to watch all the previews and trailers for the other movies, Cagalli was not one of those people.

That didn't go to say that trailers were utterly pointless, however. They did have their merits, particularly when they directed one to a further interesting or intriguing film choice. Thankfully, a little thought was put into them. Certain trailers were chosen to preview in certain types of films. After all, there was little point showing an adult trailer in a children's movie or vice versa. There would be little marketing value in such tactless action, save for the parents that might be in the audience, for whom the trailer might just have made a slight impact, though whether this impact would be positive or negative would depend entirely on circumstance, as well as the tastes and acceptability threshold of the individual parent.

As the trailers came to an end and the opening credits began to roll, Cagalli sat patiently and waited for the customary bloody opening sequence of the film to unfurl. The downside to these movies was that they all followed the same formulae, well, most of them did. There were maybe one or two writers and directors who saw a reason to be original. These movies were akin to action, in that after the first act so to speak, they always took so long to get into the main story; unlike the movie Kira and Lacus were subjecting themselves to at this very moment. Those movies were so boring they were usually over before anything even happened.

Cagalli's lip turned upward at the thought. That girl couldn't pick good movies at all, not like Cagalli could.

Then again, not everyone shared Cagalli's particular taste in movies. Kira, for instance, tended to prefer… well, everything that Cagalli didn't. It was like he had something against adventure. He never wanted to see action, or thrillers, or horror. It didn't matter. Sometimes they were so different it was hard to believe they were siblings at all, let alone twins… not that twins were usually completely identical. Not even clones were that similar, or so the girl had been told.

* * *

In another darkened cinema, a silver haired youth made his way down to his seat, his arms laden with various sugar-filled delicacies. He traversed the central isle that parted the seats all the way down to the front of the room where resided the large screen.

Yzak found his row and pushed past a few disgruntled movie-goers, streams of unsung curse-words dancing on the tip of his tongue all the while. Not only did they not bother to move their legs from his path, they even managed to find the indignant nerve to complain about his very presence. God damned hypocrisy, that's what it was. Damn them and their two-faced double-standards. Damn this cinema and its snack-bar. Damn Lacus for being here. Damn Fllay for caring. Damn himself for allowing his new suddenly-bossy girlfriend to talk him into seeing this movie at this time. They should have come earlier, or later.

One thing he did notice however, Lacus and that brown haired guy she had recently attached herself to were nowhere to be seen. He hoped they hadn't been too offended by Fllay. Yzak knew she could be a little bitter when bringing up old relationships, and it wasn't that other guy's fault… at least, not entirely. He and Fllay would have played equal parts in it. A break-up was never entirely one person's fault.

He felt a little bad for Lacus, however. Just by being with Fllay's ex-boyfriend, she'd become a scapegoat, a target. And Yzak knew from experience that the pink haired girl was a delicate fruit, and one that, to say it nicely, was without the thickest of skins.

It was honestly none of his business. There was once a time when Athrun, Lacus, and Yzak were all part of the same clique, but that was seemingly long ago. Now she and Athrun barely spoke with him. These days, Yzak was only privileged to the company of Fllay, her closest friend – a brunette going by the name of Miriallia, and Dearka, the fourth member of the old group.

Curious, it was as though Athrun and Lacus had been effectively replaced by Fllay and Miriallia; but even more curious, was that Miriallia and Dearka had seemingly gotten together. Yzak certainly hadn't seen it coming. Then again, there was no denying that Dearka was the 'funny guy' of the group. Yzak had always been slightly envious of that fact, not that he'd ever admit it aloud, of course. Many girls tended to drift toward that kind of guy, didn't they?

So what, Athrun and Dearka may have been given charm and humor, but Yzak prided himself on being leader of the pack, so to speak. He decided where they went and what they did. The only problem was, with the other two constantly sneaking off, Yzak was left with only Fllay to keep him company. While that in itself was hardly a bad thing, it was a symptom of the true problem.

Yzak's group was falling apart, threatening to disband on a semi-daily basis.

Pushing his worldly concerns about group dynamics, or their lack thereof, to the back of his mind, Yzak bit back several more curse words at the hissed complaints he was receiving from both his row and the one behind, and closed the gap back to his place beside his girlfriend with the red hair.

She watched him with amusement, his distress seemingly more entertaining than the movie they were supposed to be watching right now. The redhead smiled when Yzak had finally managed to make his awkward way over to join her.

"I didn't know what you wanted," Yzak explained as the girl ran a curious eye over his purchases, "so I got a few things. I don't want to have to go back for more."

"It looks like you got everything they had," Fllay commented.

"Not quite," Yzak replied.

Fllay smiled amusedly, while their ears were suddenly penetrated with a loud, sharp, seemingly thoroughly exhaustive "sshhh!" Yzak refrained from doing anything that would get him kicked out of the cinema as he passed several bagged treats in Fllay's direction and settled himself back into his seat, trying to make himself comfortable to watch the movie. He had already missed the start, but he hadn't been gone too long, so he can't have missed much, all things considered.

"Yzak, you didn't have to do all this," Fllay whispered, to which the silvery haired youth gave an exasperated sigh.

"I don't like being used, Fllay."

"What do you mean," the redhead innocently asked.

"Admit it. You were just trying to compete with Lacus, weren't you? That's why you sent me out there. You didn't care what I brought you, you just wanted to show me off like a big house or a flash car."

"No… Actually, I wanted to have a private conversation with that girl. If she'd have played along, I could have."

"That amounts to the same thing, Fllay. She's an old friend of mine. I don't care what grudge you have against that other guy, but leave them be. Lacus isn't nearly as strong as you, physically _or_ emotionally. She's the kind of girl who takes offense easily and is depressed and terrorized by cyber-bullying… and no, that's not a suggestion."

"So, in other words, she's one of those insecure, needy, clingy types whom need constant reassurance?"

"Just leave her alone, okay? As a favor to me?"

"I think you should be more concerned with keeping _me _happy, Yzak, I think I'm jealous of this other girl." Yzak sighed once more and looked to the movie screen, if not to watch the movie, then at least for the distraction, for something to look at. "But… I'll do it. I'll leave them alone from now on."

"Both of them?"

"Yes," the redhead quietly huffed, "…for you," she added in a much more feminine and affectionate manner."

"Thanks."

"Don't mention it, but I want you to do something for me in return."

"That's fine," Yzak replied, glad that she was being reasonable on the matter. A returned favor was the least she could ask for. "What do you want me to do?"

"How about you shut the hell up," someone from behind suggested, in that same exhaustive, hushed whisper-type voice. Fllay smirked in amusement at the indignant suggestion, while Yzak narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth in blind fury at the maddening arrogance and annoyance of the people behind them.

"I don't know yet," Fllay said, thoughtfully pondering her boyfriend's question. "I'll come up with something later on."

"Alright," Yzak quietly whispered. "I guess I'll owe you one then."

"I guess you will," Fllay smiled, passing back one of the plastic bags containing confectionaries, offering him the sour gummy-worms, her eyes transfixed upon the movie screen all the while as she did so.

* * *

"Oh god." Shinn cringed as a head dropped to the floor, blood spraying from the new cadaver's severed neckline as it fell.

"You scared?" Athrun whispered in teasing fashion.

"No, but… this is pretty sick."

"Maybe," Athrun considered. "I'm actually used to this kind of thing."

"You would be, hanging around with Cagalli as much as you do." The two were sitting in a relatively vacant portion of cinema, so as long as they made sure to keep their voices down, they didn't have to worry too much about disturbing other people with their talking. "So, what does she see in this kind of thing, anyway?" Athrun shrugged.

"Some people like violence. It's just their taste. Just like some people are put off by offensive language and graphic content."

"Don't tell me you're giving the blonde degenerate over there the moral high ground."

"No, and I'm not taking sides. I'm just saying. You shouldn't push your personal tastes on her, or anyone else."

"Maybe you should tell _her_ that."

"Yes… it's a lesson that she also needs to learn. I think she was a little too hard on Lacus."

"A little?"

"I usually try to stay out of it when Cagalli gets into an argument. I don't want to get involved. I think Kira's the same, although he probably feels somewhat of an attachment to her, being her sister and all."

"I guess… but what about with Lacus?"

"I dunno… those two fighting all the time can't be easy on him. He's probably torn apart, trying to decide whom to side with. I'm sure he'd be happy if those two just learned to get along like they used to."

"That's not going to happen. Cagalli probably feels like she's protecting Kira."

"But from Lacus? Those two used to be the best of friends."

"I know. Cagalli's jealous. It's not too surprising, considering how close she and Kira used to be. Now that Kira's spending all his time with someone else, let alone Cagalli's best friend, it's like Lacus is stealing her brother away from her, and it's not like she has Lacus to confide in now. Cagalli feels like she's losing the both of them, so of course she's going to fight back."

"So I guess that's it in a nutshell. I'm not sure Kira will be able to take much more of this crap."

"He can't," Shinn agreed. "I overheard them talking about it." Athrun smirked.

"Oh, you _overheard_, did you?"

"I needed to deliver Cagalli's message, so I had to wait for them to stop talking. It's not _my_ fault they didn't notice me."

A small squeal emanated throughout the cinema as an abrupt and unexpected flash of light and boom of sound presented itself to movie-goers.

Cagalli tore her eyes from the screen to focus of the source of the disturbance. Her amber eyes found twin pools of magenta. She tried to pull her arm from Stella's claw-like grasp, but to no avail. Her grip was too tight, far too tight. It was a tautness of the highest pressure. So taut, it was painful, to them both. Stella dependently held on to her friends arm so tightly that it hurt.

"Stella…" Their eyes locked. The room was dark, but the flickering hue of the movie offered just enough light to see. Time passed and the film faded from Cagalli's mind, her ears deafened by that which her eyes perceived. The blonde's magenta eyes returned to the movie screen. "Are you… scared?" The magenta eyed girl smiled and relaxed her grip, although her hand remained in place, in direct contact with the one belonging to Cagalli.

"Stella…" the magenta-eyed girl whispered, "isn't afraid of clowns."

* * *

Kira bent down and took the straw of his drink between his thumb and forefinger, directing it to his mouth and drawing the sweet liquid to him. He felt the cool, carbonated drink enter his waiting mouth and slide down his throat to pool in his stomach below. Of course he was not drinking nearly enough to feel it go all the way down. He lost track of its progress somewhere in his esophagus.

Kira's stomach was not nearly heavy enough for him to feel gulps of liquid dropping like stones in a wet pit. Lacus, on the other hand, was a different story.

While drinking, Kira took this opportunity; using the excuse it presented to steal a glance at the pink haired girl beside him. She seemed so calm and content right at that moment. Nothing at all similar to the way she had been before the film had started.

Simply observing her appearance, even in this low light, was enough to bring a smile to Kira's lips. Although merely superficial, the girl's outer beauty was exquisite. At least, Kira thought so. Thin pink lips, Flawless pale skin, blue-grey eyes. Long tresses of thick, pink hair that trailed down her back. Her frame was ideal, and while that alone may have been more than enough to satisfy some, Lacus had so much more to offer.

Lacus was not just a doll to be gazed at. She was intelligent, but at the same time, never conceited. Snobbery: artistic, intellectual, or otherwise, was not one of her virtues. Despite everything, she remained utterly modest, perhaps a little too much so. She was always sure to share the glory, so to speak. She gave credit where it was due, and even where it was not.

Suddenly, as though sensing someone's eyes and thoughts on her, Lacus shifted her focus to Kira.

"Wha… what is it?" she quietly asked, blushing slightly, noticing how close their faces were."

"Nothing… I was just thinking," Kira whispered his response.

Lacus furrowed her brow, "about what?" she asked.

"It's nothing really. I'm just… Lucky."

"Lucky?"

"Yeah, I'm really happy to be here with you."

"Oh," Lacus replied, seemingly caught off-guard by what appeared to be an incredibly awkwardly phrased compliment. It _was_ a compliment, wasn't it? "Um… me too," she honestly replied.

Lacus comfortably settled back into her seat to continue watching the move after that slight distraction, not that she minded, not by any means. It was a totally pleasant and wholly welcome disturbance.

She leaned over for a taste of the shared drink that sat in the cup holder between their seats, and once more drew the sweet liquid into her, swallowing easily and silently in the darkened room.

With her thirst quenched, she finally settled with her head resting comfortably against Kira's shoulder.

The brunet looked to her as she gazed at the movie screen, seemingly unaware that she was now the object of his attention once more. She seemed so content and tranquil. He smiled and reached around her, holding her in a loose one-armed embrace, thankful for the way things had turned out.

* * *

The audience all cringed as a deafening shriek made itself known to the entire cinema, and two blonde patrons in particular stared wide-eyed. Spellbound, awestruck, incapable of moving. Had they any popcorn, it would likely have found its way to the floor by now, another joy for the employees to clean up, or possibly consume.

All colour and emotion had drained from Cagalli's face. Her body was frozen stiff, as if the movie were a cure to amend the horrific plague of slouching. Red stained the otherwise grey backdrop as a horde of malicious clowns proceeded to gang up on their victim, but in retrospect, most of the horde was simply holding the poor soul down, while one, evidently the leader, began carving him up, with a _chainsaw_ no less.

The wretched creature was dressed in clichéd clown attire, except for the make-up. Whereas most clowns wore painted smiles, this one's ornamental grin looked a little off, and the red face paint had been applied thick with runs, as if to resemble blood, or perhaps it truly was blood. His face was mostly white, save for the black irregular circles around his sunken eyes, and the red outlining those. There was also a complexity of lines about his face that Cagalli couldn't memorize.

As the clown's poor victim futilely thrashed and screamed from the agony of his grotesque execution, the horrid abomination of a clown let out a wretched, despicable, freakishly manic laugh as he set to work.

The chainsaw roared into life once more, buzzing mechanically, yet also hungrily as it bit into the flesh of the tragically-live man, its starved teeth tearing through skin and flesh alike.

Blood pooled upon the floor as the man was impaled and operated on by that vile piece of machinery; that horrid, mechanical saw. And as he worked, as the man screamed and kicked and begged, as his life inevitably drained from him in liquid form, that vicious clown expelled once more a vile, malicious, mechanical laugh that chilled to the bones.

That face, that sound, that horrific display of barbarism. Unbeknownst to any within the theatre at the time, they would all merge together. Unbeknownst to all within the theatre at that moment in time; for a select few, that tactless work of fiction would leave a lasting impression on them.

A bizarre mixture of horrified entertainment and blissful ignorance decorated their expressions and psyches as they watched the remainder of the movie, blissfully unaware, tranquilly ignorant of the fact.

For every ignorant blonde who utters the ultimate blasphemy, that "I'm not afraid of those scary clowns…" For every ignorant display of such arrogance, there is a clown waiting, eager to show her just how wrong she is, to show her just what real fear truly is.

With haunted desire rising within him, the excitement seeming almost sexual, he would wait for her. He would patiently wait for her, the desire no-doubt building within his heart, within his mind, within his body.

He would wait… until the time was right.

He would wait, and then he would strike.

And when he did, the impression he left…

It would be…

…

…

…

Unforgettable…

* * *

**Mwa ha ha ha ha, I can imagine someone smirking after that line. Anyway, this chapter was a little longer that the last one, but maybe not by much… but nine pages isn't too bad, right? Oh well, too bad. After this, I may do another chapter for 'Cheating' but I'm not sure. I haven't quite made up my mind just yet.**

**The next chapter will be After the Movie.**


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